Abstract #1464

Stanisz G, Erlandsson A, Cheng H, Gretka V, Morshead C, Lobaugh N

In this study, we used a rat model of stroke to demonstrate the feasibility of using MR to distinguish between regenerating and pathological tissues when using stem cell based therapies. Focal ischemia was induced in Wistar rats and endogenous neural precursor cells were activated with growth factors. Three weeks post-stroke MR imaging demonstrated formation of heterogenous tissue plug. Quantitative measurements of T1 and T2 relaxation times correlated very well with immunohistochemical analysis. The effects were more pronounced by 42 days post-stroke, where the extend of tissue recovery was significantly larger.